Veterans remain at risk as Trump considers VA picks

Veterans health care remains a “high risk” issue threatening the federal budget and quality of care for former service members, auditors say in a forthcoming report.

The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office will place the Veteran Affairs Department’s health system once again on its “high risk” list when it’s released next month. Issued every two years, the list identifies troubled federal programs that could cause significant problems due to waste, fraud, mismanagement or structural flaws.

The draft report finds that the VA has made only limited progress since a scandal erupted over lengthy wait-times for veterans, Sen. Jon Tester, the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, told The Associated Press. In particular, auditors have pointed to the department’s slow pace in improving access to medical care as well as a need for better implementation of a “Choice Program,” authorized by Congress in 2015 to make it easier for veterans to get private care.

Government auditors also have cited continuing budget risks due to rising demand for veterans health care as a result of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The GAO, which previously found that schedulers were still manipulating wait times, notes in its upcoming report persistent problems with ambiguous VA policies and inadequate oversight.

Responding, the VA insisted that it had made steady progress and noted that it is difficult for most agencies to shed the GAO’s “high-risk” rating in fewer than four years. Its health system is responsible for 9 million military veterans and includes more than 1,700 medical facilities.

“We are meeting regularly with the GAO and are making significant and irrefutable progress,” the VA said. “We must stay focused and build on that progress in order to continue to provide veterans the high quality care and services they deserve.”

The findings highlight the challenges awaiting President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged an overhaul of VA but hasn’t chosen anyone to run the government’s second-largest agency. Veterans groups have urged him to move quickly to install a leader who can continue reforms put in place under current VA Secretary Bob McDonald. While problems persist, major veterans organizations have praised McDonald’s willingness to work closely with them and believe improvements are generally on the right track.

The veterans groups also worry that other possible Trump picks could push for greater privatization of the VA, which they believe would siphon funds from VA medical centers as more services are outsourced to the private sector. They say VA centers are best equipped to handle unique battlefield injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Tester, the Montana senator, also expressed concern. Out of Trump’s Cabinet-level positions, only the VA and Agriculture remain unfilled.

“Every day he continues to delay his decision, he jeopardizes the seamless transition that is needed to ensure this nation fulfills its commitment to the brave men and women who served,” Tester said.

Trump met privately Monday with the VA’s current undersecretary for health, David Shulkin. Joe Chenelly, national executive director of AMVETS, said his group was advised by a senior transition team adviser that Trump was “favorably inclined” to retain Shulkin, but no decision has been announced.

The GAO first listed VA health care as “high risk” in 2015, following the scandal in which as many as 40 veterans died. McDonald, who took the helm in 2014, highlights improvements including the hiring of additional doctors and staff and a new record for completed medical appointments at 5.3 million.

The restructuring, nicknamed “MyVA,” is designed to provide veterans with a positive customer service experience, regardless of whether they use the department’s website, call their local VA office or walk into a clinic.

In independent analyses in 2015 and 2016, the AP and GAO separately found little VA progress in reducing waits, with available VA data often misleading.

McDonald has acknowledged a slow pace in improving wait times, drawing criticism last year after suggesting that wait times shouldn’t really matter in judging VA performance.

The department has an annual budget of nearly $167 billon, amid rising costs that have roughly tripled since 2002.

Some veterans groups have expressed support for keeping McDonald as secretary, but that would be a shift for Trump, who has blasted the VA as “the most corrupt agency” and “probably the most incompetently run agency.”

During the campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged to fix the department’s woes and said he would “take care of great veterans.” His transition team last month signaled that Trump was weighing a “public-private option” in which veterans could get all their medical care in the private sector, with the government paying the bill, a stance that McDonald says should be treated with caution.

Amid stiff opposition from veterans groups and Democrats who oppose greater privatization, Trump’s selection of a VA secretary has slowed.

Among the candidates Trump has considered are Leo Mackay, a Lockheed Martin executive; Pete Hegseth, former head of the conservative Concerned Veterans for America; former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown and former Florida Rep. Jeff Miller. Trump was earlier said to favor Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove, who favored greater privatization at the VA, but Cosgrove withdrew his name last month.

Comments

My dad and I both have received great care at the VA. Doctor’s and staff have been great. The Choice Program siphones off money that the VA needs to survive. It would be a sad day for veterans to have the VA go away.

Hey, John, the VA had serious problems before Obama. Trump supporters shouldn’t repeat Obama supporters’ mistakes-blaming every problem on Bush. The next VA chief is going need a very thick skin and a willingness to do the job without looking for recognition. Maybe someone like a Senator Grassley who is not afraid to do the right thing. He’s willing to get down and dirty and fight. He has the character to do the job-if he would be willing.

I think the really bad ones are in bigger systems. I live in So. Oregon and we have a facility in White City and they have not had scandals I have friends who go there. It is older and could use some renovations. But they are good to our Veterans.

Va has the worst problems in the administration side if claims are wrongly decided initially and denied no care for the veteran is available period. Any claim submitted should get a full rating examination from a fully qualified rating examiner, before a decision is made to deny or grant the claim. No more rubber stamped denials because of lack of evidence that is the biggest fraud perpetrated against veterans today by the va. Also look at the TBI ratings they grant the residuals of TBI under a PTSD rating to avoid rating under TBI. Why you ask because TBI ratings are permanent and PTSD are transient ratings meaning they can reduce them later not so much with TBI. Is that veteran friendly? Nope and thanks for your service.

After being in the Helicopter training arena for 2 years and being surrounded by 15 hundred helicopters I have tinnitus constantly. I have had it since then but thought it was normal until I started talking to people who receive aid for that from the VA. I went to a local professional medical hearing examination on my own and at my own cost and they agreed that it was more than likely caused by all that noise. They put in in a letter form, which I took to the VA in South Forth Worth. That office tested me and found the same results. They determined almost immediately that they did not think it was military related and dismissed it just like the Black Receptionists who ignored me, I am white, every time I went in. It was interesting though to see other black individuals get immediate recognition and help. To me the promise of proper care after service for an on the job related problem has been a false promise even though I served my country in the US Army from 12/66-12/68 and was honorably discharged. I am not asking for back payments, all I am asking for was the recognition and a possible cure to this buzzing in my ears today. What do I get instead, a huge attitude problem and complete denial. I can see why Vets today are mad as hell.

Dave, I like you have tinnitus. It was caused by being around loud high pitched aircraft engines when I was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Although I was first denied compensation, after appeal I received 10% disability for the tinnitus. However, I also experienced a 30% loss of my bilateral at the same time. I have been in an appeal process for more than ten years and to date no additional compensation. Based on the decision that gave me the 10% for tinnitus is the very same reason that needs to be met to receive compensation on bilateral hearing loss but yet the VA does nothing for me but give me the run-around. I am 70 years old and my days are numbered. It just seems to me that the VA just hopes that I will go ahead and die and all this will go away.

The VA is the most inefficient, ineffective organization I have ever had contact with! The administration of the agency is to blame. The doctors are for the most part excellent, the “leaders” are a disgrace. Please clean house, new Sec. Of VA!